NCAA Basketball: Best games from 2019-20 season – Dayton vs. Saint Louis

Dayton and Saint Louis dueled in an excellent conference matchup; let’s take a look at how it happened.

This past NCAA basketball season gave us plenty of storylines and surprises, even if it was cut short by the national pandemic. We saw a few teams really emerge in unexpected ways, while others failed to live up to their expectations. In our next of the top 40 games of the 2019-20 season, we’ll be taking a closer look at a close call involving one of those emerging teams.

12. #13 Dayton 78, Saint Louis 76, OT

January 17, 2020, Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, MO

Even without an NCAA Tournament, there were plenty of dramatic moments this past season. Sure, there was far less pressure playing early-season tournaments or conference games than a postseason affair, but that doesn’t diminish what these teams accomplished. Though the A-10 wasn’t much of a race this season, their dominant force sure got quite a test in mid-January.

Dayton was proving night after night to be a well-oiled machine. They had lost a close battle to Kansas in the Bahamas and been barely edged by Colorado, but entered play on a 6-game winning streak. Obi Toppin and Jalen Crutcher were playing inspired ball, with Toppin, in particular, standing out in the Flyers’ first four A-10 games. This Dayton team was rising quickly in the polls but had their first real challenge in conference play.

After winning the A-10 Tournament the past season, Saint Louis was primed and ready to take another step forward. They had already gotten great play from juniors Jordan Goodwin and Hasahn French and entered play with a solid 14-3 record. They had lost their two previous games against ranked foes, but welcoming the hot Flyers to their cozy home in St. Louis was certainly very different.

Dayton hit a few early shots, but it was the Billikens who took the early advantage. The Flyers went nearly seven minutes without a field goal early in the half, watching Saint Louis grab a 14-7 lead. A Toppin 3-pointer ended the run, while a spurt of solid defensive play allowed Dayton back in the game. Unfortunately for the Flyers, a 10-0 Billikens run put the game firmly back in Saint Louis’s grasps near the end of the half.

Even though they were down 11, Dayton didn’t panic and put together a couple of solid late possessions to pull within 8 at the half. This Flyers team was built to hang in tough games, though they’d need more than six points apiece from Toppin and Crutcher.

The hole became double digits for the Flyers early in the second half until they started putting together smart possessions. A 3-pointer from Crutcher really got things going, pulling them to within 5 just after the first media timeout. However, a Rodney Chatman technical foul helped build a 12-point advantage for the Billikens, with the last five points of their burst from Javonte Perkins.

Perkins had another 5-point burst and with nine minutes left the Flyers were down 53-40. They were hanging in the game until a key stretch involving a Billikens turnover and a pair of made 3-pointers, one each from Crutcher and Ibi Watson. Dayton’s hot shooting continued down the stretch, as Toppin’s 3-pointer pulled the Flyers to within two, while Trey Landers gave Dayton a long-awaited lead.

A sudden spurt from Toppin gave Dayton a 5-point lead with just under two minutes left, but Perkins had the answer again. The lead remained with the Flyers down the stretch, but Landers missed a free throw late that gave the Billikens a chance. Jordan Goodwin connected on a layup in the waning seconds to tie the game and force overtime.

Overtime saw Saint Louis grab an early lead, though they could never extend the advantage. Crutcher twice made a pair of free throws in the final minute, while Saint Louis’s offense kept them right there. A pair of free throws from Yuri Collins gave the Billikens the lead with six seconds left. Crutcher played hero again, as his 3-pointer at the buzzer gave the Flyers a hard-fought victory in conference play.

Toppin had 20 points and 10 rebounds, but clearly it was Crutcher stealing the show. The Flyers made just 36% of their 25 3-point attempts, but the one that they desperately needed rang true. Perkins had an awesome 25-point performance off the bench for Saint Louis, but they watched that large lead disappear down the stretch in the second half. The Billikens greatly outrebounded the Flyers but inexcusably missed 17 free throws.

Dayton put together a phenomenal season, sweeping the A-10 regular season and all but securing themselves a top seed in the NCAA Tournament. Toppin was hailed by many as the best player in college basketball this season, and it’s clear that this Flyers team was special.

While others, like Baylor and San Diego State, can say this as well, it’s a great disappointment that the postseason was cancelled; this Flyers team might’ve had a legendary run in them.

Saint Louis lost a heartbreaker, but their season didn’t end in devastation. They’d lose a few more conference games, including a close battle at Dayton, but finish 4th in the A-10, ending the season on a five-game winning streak. This Billikens team needed magic in the A-10 Tournament but could’ve made their mark on the postseason had it taken place.

While Toppin moves forward with professional play, both Dayton and Saint Louis will return a lot of talent next season. These should be two of the teams at the very top of the A-10. It was horrible that neither team got a chance to showcase their talent in the postseason, but at least they gave us what became one of the conference season’s most enticing battles, with Crutcher’s clutch 3-pointer delivering another win for the Flyers.